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Bebop Spoken There

Simon Spillett: “ Bebop and hard bop came naturally to him [Tubby Hayes]". Morning Star, March 28, 2024.

The Things They Say!

Hudson Music: Lance's "Bebop Spoken Here" is one of the heaviest and most influential jazz blogs in the UK.

Rupert Burley (Dynamic Agency): "BSH just goes from strength to strength".

'606' Club: "A toast to Lance Liddle of the terrific jazz blog 'Bebop Spoken Here'"

The Strictly Smokin' Big Band included Be Bop Spoken Here (sic) in their 5 Favourite Jazz Blogs.

Ann Braithwaite (Braithwaite & Katz Communications) You’re the BEST!

Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"

Simon Spillett: A lovely review from the dean of jazz bloggers, Lance Liddle...

Josh Weir: I love the writing on bebop spoken here... I think the work you are doing is amazing.

Postage

16287 (and counting) posts since we started blogging 16 years ago. 169 of them this year alone and, so far, 41 this month (Mar 18).

From This Moment On ...

March

Fri 29: FILM: Soul @ The Forum Cinema, Hexham. 12:30pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Fri 29: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms. 1:00pm. Free.
Fri 29: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ The Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 29: Abbie Finn Trio @ The Vault, Darlington. 6:00pm. Free. POSTPONED!
Fri 29: Thundercat @ Newcastle City Hall.
Fri 29: John Logan @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Fri 29: True Colours @ Barrels Ale House, Berwick. 9:00pm. Blues, jazz & swing.

Sat 30: Papa G’s Troves @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Sat 30: Pete Tanton’s Cuba Libre @ Whitley Bay Library, York Road, Whitley Bay. 8:00pm.

Sun 31: 4B @ The Ticket Office, Whitley Bay Metro Station. 3:00pm. Free.
Sun 31: Ruth Lambert Trio @ Juke Shed, Union Quay, North Shields NE30 1HJ. 3:00pm. Free. Lambert, Alan Law & Paul Grainger.
Sun 31: Sid Jacobs & Tom Remon @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 7:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig. USA/London jazz guitar duo.
Sun 31: Bellavana @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.

April
Mon 01: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Mon 01: Ray Stubbs R&B All Stars @ Billy Bootlegger’s, Ouseburn, Newcastle. 3:00pm. Free.

Tue 02: Jam session @ The Black Swan, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free. House trio: Dean Stockdale, Paul Grainger, Abbie Finn.

Wed 03: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm. Free.
Wed 03: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Free. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 03: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.

Thu 04: FILM: Soul @ Forum Cinema, Hexham. 2:00pm. Jazz-themed film animation.
Thu 04: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 04: Funky Drummer @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm. Free.
Thu 04: Eva Fox & the Jazz Guys @ Prohibition Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Free. A ‘Jar on the Bar’ gig.
Thu 04: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman’s Club, Middlesbrough. 8:30pm.

Sunday, December 02, 2012

trio VD @ The Sage December 1

Chris Sharkey (guitar & electronics), Christoph de Bezenac (alto saxophone & electronics) & Chris Bussey (drums & electronics)
(Review by Russell)
The Sage was busy. The Messiah in Hall One and Martin Simpson in Hall Two both doing brisk business. In the Northern Rock Foundation Hall it was a different matter. For some reason trio VD didn't pull a crowd. Last time, in the same room (during the Gateshead Jazz Festival) the Leeds based outfit drew a big crowd and won many new admirers. So, where were these converts last night? Fair weather jazz (festival) fans? Stay at home CD types? trio VD (a word of explanation - it is lower case t in trio) further confuse matters by disparaging the J word, although in truth they are telling the truth - what they do isn't jazz (or is it?). 
Have you noticed that jazz is the one form of music that practitioners (and listeners) frequently feel compelled to ‘explain’, in some cases issuing a pre-performance apology! Was it really daggers drawn back in the day…Traddies versus Dirty Boppers? trio VD take the argument into another realm. What these guys have is chops…jazz chops, schooled at that. They have chosen a different path. Good on them. They play it loud. They incorporate electronics. It sounds like rock music (to some). Dig it, put it in a bag…or not.

The support act, for one reason or another, didn't appear, so trio VD decided to play a support set too…trio VD! Sharkey, de Bezenac and Bussey walked onto stage without fanfare and without name. 

A short first set (in the tradition of support acts) made full use of the electronic gadgetry. The Apple Mac, loops, delays, pedal boards (guitarist Sharkey’s array lit up like fairy lights strewn across the flight deck of a transatlantic airliner), all preoccupied the trio for some time. 

Suddenly Chris Bussey remembered he was a drummer. He picked up his sticks and started to play. Altoist de Bezenac blew a few notes then took time out to process them. Meanwhile, back on the flight deck, Sharkey set off a sonic boom, twiddled and recycled it. Scary stuff. Time for a break. The trio’s new CD Maze was available for sale. Family and friends of the band were in attendance. 

Second set, more electronic manipulations and more playing, real playing. At times - it is a stated objective - lines became blurred. Was that sound played by Sharkey? Did de Bezenac play that or did it come from Bussey? Precision playing, at lightening fast tempi, Bussey delighting in changing time - time and time again. Stunning. I don’t know how they do it. Yes I do, they are superb musicians. Was it jazz? Discuss.    
Russell.                       

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